The Dallas Cowboys have 16 players set to become unrestricted free agents in March. In this series, we determine why a player should or should not return in 2016 and beyond.
Position: Running back
Age: 26
NFL experience: Four years
2015 salary: $660,000
2015 statistics: In 10 games he had 32 carries for 139 yards and a touchdown, and he caught five passes for 15 yards.
Why he will be back: Turbin impressed many by playing four days after signing with the Cowboys in November. He carried seven times for 35 yards against the Miami Dolphins in his Cowboys debut. He had a season-high 51 yards on seven carries and a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers. He showed a reliability that Christine Michael never did after the Cowboys picked Michael up from Seattle. The Cowboys are not flush with running backs at the moment and could keep Turbin on a short-term, low-money deal that will give him a chance to win a roster spot in training camp but not chew up much salary-cap space. If they keep him, it would not preclude them from adding a back in free agency or the draft.
Why he will not be back: The Cowboys also have a soon-to-be free-agent running back in Lance Dunbar, who is coming back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The Cowboys have invested time in Dunbar and might want to see that through by bringing him back in 2016. Dunbar can be a vital third-down back and special-teams piece. Turbin does not have the same traits as Dunbar. Turbin did everything right in his tenure with the Cowboys, which would leave the door open at least a little
Chance to return: Low. Turbin did nothing wrong in his time with the Cowboys, but he could be looking for a better opportunity with more security than what Dallas can offer.
The series: